


Throw Away the Oars

by AuroraNova



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-12
Updated: 2016-02-12
Packaged: 2018-05-19 22:21:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 811
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5982699
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AuroraNova/pseuds/AuroraNova
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Expressing his feelings isn’t Jack’s strong point, but he manages this time with a little help from REO Speedwagon.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Throw Away the Oars

**Author's Note:**

> It's almost Valentine's Day, which means 'tis the season for fluff! Of course, I own nothing here and am not making a cent.

The cave painting on P4Y-295 seemed to have a very primitive logographic writing system which was interesting because no naturally occurring, purely logographic script was known on Earth. This was due to its wild impracticality, of course, but it made sense as an initial attempt at written communication.

Several of the logograms were indecipherable thus far and Daniel was contentedly puzzling over them when Jack walked into his office.

“Hi Jack.”

“Hey.” Jack put a CD case on the desk.

“What’s this?”

Jack was uncomfortable and not hiding it very well. “You asked what’s been going on.”

Daniel had been asking for a few weeks now and stopped expecting an answer. Jack was edgy, restless, and generally acting as though something was off. That something was his personal version of top secret, Daniel had concluded. And now the answer was… a CD?

“Don’t play it here,” said Jack.

“I won’t.”

“Okay. I’m heading home. See you tomorrow.”

“Goodnight.”

Jack made a hasty retreat, and of course Daniel couldn’t concentrate on logograms with the CD sitting on his desk. He packed up and made his way topside.

By now Daniel was certain he had all of his memories back. Other than the odd movie reference or bit of song lyric he remembered everything, and none of it explained Jack’s recent behavior. Then again, Jack could be difficult to figure out at the best of times.

He wondered what was on the CD and how it would make sense of Jack lately.

The guards on duty nodded as he left. “Goodnight, Dr. Jackson.”

“Goodnight.”

He’d spoken to Teal’c about Jack’s strange moods, but their Jaffa friend was at just as much of a loss as Daniel. Teal’c was of the opinion that “O’Neill is occasionally comprehensible only to himself. Those occasions have been more frequent of late.”

As soon as he started his car Daniel put the CD in his stereo and hit ‘play.’ He didn’t immediately recognize the song, but that wasn’t unusual at this point.

_Oh I can't fight this feeling any longer_  
_And yet I'm still afraid to let it flow_  
 _What started out as friendship_  
 _Has grown stronger_  
 _I only wish I had the strength to let it show_

A love song? That couldn’t… no, surely not…

But it was. The love song was, in fact, the only thing on the CD. Daniel listened to it twice while he wrapped his mind around the concept.

Okay, this could definitely explain Jack’s strange moods. It also required a conversation, though Daniel hadn’t yet figured out what he’d say in that conversation. Instead of going home he headed to Jack’s.

His listened to the song twice more on the drive. There was no mistaking the message, at least. He presumed this was Jack’s way of telling him but leaving the option to ignore it. Daniel didn’t want to ignore it.

Jack answered his door right away, so he clearly didn’t think Daniel would ignore it either. They stood there, the closing of the door calling for one of them to speak. Daniel suspected that needed to be him.

“I listened to it. Four times. I really had no idea, Jack, and I… well, I’m not there. But I think I might get there.”

He could see the relief, disbelief, hope, and happiness collide; it was all expressed on Jack’s face. “Really?”

“Really.” He cared about Jack a great deal, and of course he’d always considered Jack an attractive man. Once or twice he’d even thought they’d make a good couple, but he’d never seriously considered it because he’d thought, wrongly as it turned out, that Jack was completely straight. On the ride over he’d realized how easy it would be to love Jack, to be with him. He might not be there yet, but he was well on his way.

Except for their jobs. They had a lot to talk about in that regard.

“So I have a chance?” Jack clarified.

“You do.”

Jack smiled and pulled him in for a crushing hug.

“I’m glad you told me,” Daniel said, returning the embrace.

“It was going to screw everything up if I didn’t.”

He could see the wisdom in that; the changes in Jack’s behavior had been upsetting the team balance. It suddenly occurred to him – how long had Jack felt this way? Could his hidden feelings have contributed to the problems they had before Daniel ascended?

In any event, it had taken a certain amount of courage for Jack to give him that CD, and Daniel was profoundly moved. He was also happier than he’d been in a long time.

“Is it okay if I kiss you?” asked Jack.

“Yes.”

It was a gentle, brief kiss, just enough for Daniel to feel cherished. One wasn’t enough; he initiated a second.

Two kisses in, he already knew this was something wonderful.

 

**Author's Note:**

> The song is "Can't Fight This Feeling," by REO Speedwagon, and I took the title from the lyrics as well.


End file.
